Bruce A. Goff Archive

Although he never studied under Frank Lloyd Wright, Bruce Goff (1904–1982) shared many of the architectural principles of Wright and other organic architects—the use of natural materials, idiosyncratic designs, free-flowing interior spaces, and individualized projects for individual clients—all contributing to a "timeless" architecture. An influential and iconoclastic architect, Goff was also an inspirational teacher, heading the School of Architecture at the University of Oklahoma (1947-1955) and training apprentices throughout his career. His design for the Bavinger residence in Norman, Oklahoma, won the prestigious 25-year award from the American Institute of Architects in 1987. During a career that spanned six decades, Goff designed hundreds of projects, nearly one hundred and fifty of which were built. In 1995, the Art Institute of Chicago mounted a large retrospective exhibition with an accompanying catalog, The Architecture of Bruce Goff, 1904–1982: Design for the Continuous Present. This collection consists of Goff's entire professional papers, business and personal correspondence, project files, photographs and slides, published and unpublished lectures and articles, business and personal financial papers, personal collections of shells and rocks, clothing, player-piano rolls composed and cut by Goff, and taped interviews and lectures. View finding aid.View selected images from this collection.Find all Bruce Goff digital images.Detailed collection description. Collection access:Collections may be accessed in the Franke Reading Room of the Research Center at The Art Institute of Chicago, by appointment only. For further information, consult the FAQ. Finding aids by subjectBrowse all finding aidsBrowse images and mediaOral histories Contact the Ryerson and Burnham Art and Architecture Archives:archives@artic.edu